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The guard changes regularly at Buckingham Palace, as Winnie the Pooh’s creator A. A. Milne reminds us in a poem. But the lighting is changing as well. As part of its effort to reduce energy costs, the Royal Household at the Palace has installed LED light bulbs in a chandelier. This is the most recent of a number of royal LED lighting projects to take place in the past few years.

The idea behind the use of LEDS at the Palace is to create lighting features at a fraction of the previous running costs. LED light bulbs are the obvious choice. Their low energy consumption cuts electricity bills. And their long life means they need little maintenance. There’s also an added bonus for the Royal Household: LED light bulbs are mercury-free and good for the environment.

The Royal Household chose a chandelier for the latest project. Until now, 32 tungsten bulbs with a rating of 25 watts each made the cut glass pendants sparkle. The replacement LED light bulbs use a low-voltage system with individual bulbs consuming just 2.8 watts of electricity. Despite this, the overall effect is as bright as the original. And the energy bill for the chandelier has dropped by 80%.

LED light bulbs are part of a long-term energy-saving strategy for the Royal Household. Back in 2006, Philips provided a new way of illuminating the front of the Palace with LED light bulbs.

LED lighting is now part of one of the world’s most famous buildings. LED light bulbs illuminate the Grand Staircase, and are replacing standard bulbs in many of the rooms. Isn’t it good to see Buckingham Palace is taking its energy saving responsibilities as seriously as the rest of us?